“Hugo Ekitike makes stance clear as Alexander Isak move prompts Liverpool rethink”

Hugo Ekitike has already made it clear he’s willing to adapt his role to fit into Liverpool’s evolving attacking setup, especially with the imminent arrival of Alexander Isak. The Swedish striker is widely expected to take on the role of the club’s main centre-forward.

Ekitike, who joined Liverpool from Eintracht Frankfurt for £79 million following an impressive spell in the Bundesliga, has hit the ground running at Anfield. He scored in both the Community Shield and Liverpool’s opening Premier League matches, showing early promise in his new surroundings.

Liverpool initially brought in Ekitike to strengthen their frontline and provide a central attacking presence. At the time, Isak wasn’t considered an option, but that changed after the striker made it known he wanted to leave Newcastle. Now, the Reds are ready to break the British transfer record by spending £125 million to secure his signature—leaving the club with two expensive talents vying for the same position.

Despite the looming competition, Ekitike has expressed his openness to adapting for the benefit of the team, even if it means stepping aside as the first-choice striker. According to the Mirror, the Frenchman said:
“I do what the coach asks of me. I don’t see myself purely as a striker who just finishes chances. I like to be involved in the game, contribute to the team’s build-up and create opportunities too.
I can play up front alone or with another forward—that’s what makes me versatile. In modern football, adaptability is key.”

Manager Arne Slot has yet to reveal how he plans to deploy both Isak and Ekitike in his forward line—or whether one will have to settle for fewer minutes. Ekitike may end up playing out wide, given his tendency to drift into the channels. However, with Mohamed Salah locked into the right-wing role and new signing Florian Wirtz expected to occupy the No.10 position, Liverpool playing two strikers appears unlikely.

Nevertheless, Ekitike’s willingness to adapt shows his team-first mentality and hints at how useful he could be to Slot moving forward.

After Liverpool’s 3-2 win over Newcastle last weekend, Slot praised Ekitike’s impact:
“He’s already made a big difference for us in attack—not just scoring goals but also helping to start attacking moves. That’s something we didn’t see as often last season, though Luis Díaz also contributed in that way.”

Slot added that there’s still room for growth, particularly in Ekitike’s physical intensity:
“He can improve his match fitness. I want him to contribute even more off the ball than he currently does. He’s already putting in effort, but there’s still a step up needed—especially compared to the pressing demands here, which are higher than what he was used to in Frankfurt.”